Restorative justice in schools appeals because there's a kernel of truth in it: it IS important to restore a relationship with a kid when you've given them a sanction. Thread... https://twitter.com/tombennett71/status/1293919630193356801

This is particularly important when they genuinely don't know *why* what they've done shouldn't have been done.

So you explain to the child why you have the rule in the first place, and how you *know* they can behave better in the future.

This means that they know that there is always the possibility of reconciliation. They can always 'make it good again'.

Where restorative justice in schools gets it very wrong is that the reconciliation *takes the place of* the reasonable sanction (demerit, detentions etc.) and the consistent application of the community's rules.

But all communities need sanctions for those who break the rules. And it's vital to pupils' future happiness that they learn that when the rule is about something reasonably trivial (like uniform!)

All communities need both punishment, for those who break the rules, *and* the opportunity for reconciliation. Restorative justice only offers the latter.